3.04 Marine Bio

1. a) You can determine the turtle’s species by the upper shell brown/reddish brown color, the lower shell creamy/yellow color, body skin brown/yellow color, the rusty brown scales on their head, and the weight and length of the turtle varying from 77-227 kilograms and 1.2 meters. b) You can determine the sex by many features. The turtle’s sexual maturity isn’t achieved until they are 15-20 years old. Adult males have longer tails and are much larger than adult females. A pair breads at sea and the female come to shore to nest her eggs. Loggerheads nest from April to July. Usually, there can be 105-120 eggs laid in a clutch. Single females of the species can have many clutches during a season. Some nest every year, whereas others alternate years. The incubation period can last from 55 -60 days. Like most sea turtles, they nest at night.
c) The age of a sea turtle is determined by growth of in length and weight gain.
d) Loggerheads also bury themselves in the mud during winter months.
2. The most common reasons turtles become sick or injured in Florida are because lights on coastal highways and housing developments disorient the hatchlings often causing them to move away from the water and be killed by automobiles or predators.
3. The specific type of turtle rescued was The Loggerhead Sea Turtle or “Loggerhead”
4. The type of food we will need to feed the rescued turtle is a variety of crabs, jellyfish, shellfish, and sponges.
5. This species needs to stay around fresh-water for means of drinking and stay at seas for breading (if more than one is in rehabilitation).
6. The rehabilitation area should be kept at a warm temperature and should be no smaller than 39ft.